EXHIBIT 24.20
                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


The undersigned,  as a director of West Texas Utilities Company (the "Company"),
hereby makes,  constitutes and appoints Paul J. Brower and R. Russell Davis, and
each of them severally,  his true and lawful  attorneys-in-fact and agents, each
with full power and  authority  (acting alone and without the others) to execute
in the name and on behalf of the  undersigned,  in any and all  capacities,  the
Company's  Annual  Report  on Form  10-K  for  1999  and any and all  amendments
thereto, to be filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,  and
any other documents and instruments  incidental  thereto,  and to file the same,
with all exhibits  thereto and all documents in connection  therewith,  with the
Securities and Exchange Commission,  hereby granting to such  attorneys-in-fact,
and agents,  and each of them,  full power and  authority  of  substitution  and
revocation  in the premises and full power and  authority to do and perform each
and every  act and thing  requisite  and  necessary  to be done in and about the
premises,  as fully for all intents and  purposes  as the  undersigned  might or
could  do  in  person  and  hereby   ratifying  and  confirming  all  that  such
attorneys-in-fact  and  agents,  or any of  them,  may do or cause to be done by
virtue of this Power of Attorney.

IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  I have hereunto  executed this Power of Attorney this 25th
day of January, 2000.


                                                /s/ E. R. Brooks
                                                E. R. Brooks
                                                Director



Subscribed and sworn to before me this 25th day of January, 2000 by E. R.
Brooks.


                                                /s/ Judy A. Hall
                                                Notary Public
                                                State of Texas

My Commission Expires:  July 20, 2003



<PAGE>


EXHIBIT 24.20
                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


The undersigned,  as a director of West Texas Utilities Company (the "Company"),
hereby makes,  constitutes and appoints Paul J. Brower and R. Russell Davis, and
each of them severally,  his true and lawful  attorneys-in-fact and agents, each
with full power and  authority  (acting alone and without the others) to execute
in the name and on behalf of the  undersigned,  in any and all  capacities,  the
Company's  Annual  Report  on Form  10-K  for  1999  and any and all  amendments
thereto, to be filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,  and
any other documents and instruments  incidental  thereto,  and to file the same,
with all exhibits  thereto and all documents in connection  therewith,  with the
Securities and Exchange Commission,  hereby granting to such  attorneys-in-fact,
and agents,  and each of them,  full power and  authority  of  substitution  and
revocation  in the premises and full power and  authority to do and perform each
and every  act and thing  requisite  and  necessary  to be done in and about the
premises,  as fully for all intents and  purposes  as the  undersigned  might or
could  do  in  person  and  hereby   ratifying  and  confirming  all  that  such
attorneys-in-fact  and  agents,  or any of  them,  may do or cause to be done by
virtue of this Power of Attorney.

IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  I have hereunto  executed this Power of Attorney this 25th
day of January, 2000.


                                                /s/ Glenn Files
                                                Glenn Files
                                                Director



Subscribed and sworn to before me this 25th day of January, 2000 by Glenn Files.


                                                /s/ Martha Murray
                                                Notary Public
                                                State of Texas

My Commission Expires:  November 19, 2000




<PAGE>


EXHIBIT 24.20
                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


The undersigned,  as a director of West Texas Utilities Company (the "Company"),
hereby makes,  constitutes and appoints Paul J. Brower and R. Russell Davis, and
each of them severally,  his true and lawful  attorneys-in-fact and agents, each
with full power and  authority  (acting alone and without the others) to execute
in the name and on behalf of the  undersigned,  in any and all  capacities,  the
Company's  Annual  Report  on Form  10-K  for  1999  and any and all  amendments
thereto, to be filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,  and
any other documents and instruments  incidental  thereto,  and to file the same,
with all exhibits  thereto and all documents in connection  therewith,  with the
Securities and Exchange Commission,  hereby granting to such  attorneys-in-fact,
and agents,  and each of them,  full power and  authority  of  substitution  and
revocation  in the premises and full power and  authority to do and perform each
and every  act and thing  requisite  and  necessary  to be done in and about the
premises,  as fully for all intents and  purposes  as the  undersigned  might or
could  do  in  person  and  hereby   ratifying  and  confirming  all  that  such
attorneys-in-fact  and  agents,  or any of  them,  may do or cause to be done by
virtue of this Power of Attorney.

IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  I have hereunto  executed this Power of Attorney this 25th
day of January, 2000.


                                                /s/ Alphonso Jackson
                                                Alphonso R. Jackson
                                                Director




Subscribed and sworn to before me this 25th day of January, 2000 by Alphonso
R. Jackson.


                                                /s/ Martha Murray
                                                Notary Public
                                                State of Texas

My Commission Expires:  November 19, 2000




<PAGE>


EXHIBIT 24.20
                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


The undersigned,  as a director of West Texas Utilities Company (the "Company"),
hereby makes,  constitutes and appoints Paul J. Brower and R. Russell Davis, and
each of them severally,  his true and lawful  attorneys-in-fact and agents, each
with full power and  authority  (acting alone and without the others) to execute
in the name and on behalf of the  undersigned,  in any and all  capacities,  the
Company's  Annual  Report  on Form  10-K  for  1999  and any and all  amendments
thereto, to be filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,  and
any other documents and instruments  incidental  thereto,  and to file the same,
with all exhibits  thereto and all documents in connection  therewith,  with the
Securities and Exchange Commission,  hereby granting to such  attorneys-in-fact,
and agents,  and each of them,  full power and  authority  of  substitution  and
revocation  in the premises and full power and  authority to do and perform each
and every  act and thing  requisite  and  necessary  to be done in and about the
premises,  as fully for all intents and  purposes  as the  undersigned  might or
could  do  in  person  and  hereby   ratifying  and  confirming  all  that  such
attorneys-in-fact  and  agents,  or any of  them,  may do or cause to be done by
virtue of this Power of Attorney.

IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  I have hereunto  executed this Power of Attorney this 25th
day of January, 2000.


                                                /s/ Tommy Morris
                                                Tommy Morris
                                                Director


Subscribed  and  sworn to  before  me this  25th day of  January,  2000 by Tommy
Morris.



                                                /s/ Martha Murray
                                                Notary Public
                                                State of Texas

My Commission Expires:  November 19. 2000




<PAGE>


EXHIBIT 24.20
                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


The undersigned,  as a director of West Texas Utilities Company (the "Company"),
hereby makes,  constitutes and appoints Paul J. Brower and R. Russell Davis, and
each of them severally,  her true and lawful  attorneys-in-fact and agents, each
with full power and  authority  (acting alone and without the others) to execute
in the name and on behalf of the  undersigned,  in any and all  capacities,  the
Company's  Annual  Report  on Form  10-K  for  1999  and any and all  amendments
thereto, to be filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,  and
any other documents and instruments  incidental  thereto,  and to file the same,
with all exhibits  thereto and all documents in connection  therewith,  with the
Securities and Exchange Commission,  hereby granting to such  attorneys-in-fact,
and agents,  and each of them,  full power and  authority  of  substitution  and
revocation  in the premises and full power and  authority to do and perform each
and every  act and thing  requisite  and  necessary  to be done in and about the
premises,  as fully for all intents and  purposes  as the  undersigned  might or
could  do  in  person  and  hereby   ratifying  and  confirming  all  that  such
attorneys-in-fact  and  agents,  or any of  them,  may do or cause to be done by
virtue of this Power of Attorney.

IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  I have hereunto  executed this Power of Attorney this 25th
day of January, 2000.


                                                /s/ Dian G. Owen
                                                Dian G. Owen
                                                Director




Subscribed and sworn to before me this 25th day of January, 2000 by Dian G.
Owen.


                                                /s/ Diane K. Nichols
                                                Notary Public
                                                State of Texas

My Commission Expires:  February 14, 2003


<PAGE>


EXHIBIT 24.20
                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


The undersigned,  as a director of West Texas Utilities Company (the "Company"),
hereby makes,  constitutes and appoints Paul J. Brower and R. Russell Davis, and
each of them severally,  his true and lawful  attorneys-in-fact and agents, each
with full power and  authority  (acting alone and without the others) to execute
in the name and on behalf of the  undersigned,  in any and all  capacities,  the
Company's  Annual  Report  on Form  10-K  for  1999  and any and all  amendments
thereto, to be filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,  and
any other documents and instruments  incidental  thereto,  and to file the same,
with all exhibits  thereto and all documents in connection  therewith,  with the
Securities and Exchange Commission,  hereby granting to such  attorneys-in-fact,
and agents,  and each of them,  full power and  authority  of  substitution  and
revocation  in the premises and full power and  authority to do and perform each
and every  act and thing  requisite  and  necessary  to be done in and about the
premises,  as fully for all intents and  purposes  as the  undersigned  might or
could  do  in  person  and  hereby   ratifying  and  confirming  all  that  such
attorneys-in-fact  and  agents,  or any of  them,  may do or cause to be done by
virtue of this Power of Attorney.

IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  I have hereunto  executed this Power of Attorney this 25th
day of January, 2000.


                                                /s/ James M. Parker
                                                James M. Parker
                                                Director




Subscribed and sworn to before me this 25th day of January, 2000 by James M.
Parker.


                                                /s/ Martha Murray
                                                Notary Public
                                                State of Texas

My Commission Expires:  November 19, 2000




<PAGE>


EXHIBIT 24.20
                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


The undersigned,  as a director of West Texas Utilities Company (the "Company"),
hereby makes,  constitutes and appoints Paul J. Brower and R. Russell Davis, and
each of them severally,  his true and lawful  attorneys-in-fact and agents, each
with full power and  authority  (acting alone and without the others) to execute
in the name and on behalf of the  undersigned,  in any and all  capacities,  the
Company's  Annual  Report  on Form  10-K  for  1999  and any and all  amendments
thereto, to be filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,  and
any other documents and instruments  incidental  thereto,  and to file the same,
with all exhibits  thereto and all documents in connection  therewith,  with the
Securities and Exchange Commission,  hereby granting to such  attorneys-in-fact,
and agents,  and each of them,  full power and  authority  of  substitution  and
revocation  in the premises and full power and  authority to do and perform each
and every  act and thing  requisite  and  necessary  to be done in and about the
premises,  as fully for all intents and  purposes  as the  undersigned  might or
could  do  in  person  and  hereby   ratifying  and  confirming  all  that  such
attorneys-in-fact  and  agents,  or any of  them,  may do or cause to be done by
virtue of this Power of Attorney.

IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  I have hereunto  executed this Power of Attorney this 25th
day of January, 2000.


                                                /s/ F. L. Stephens
                                                F. L. Stephens
                                                Director




Subscribed and sworn to before me this 25th day of January, 2000 by F. L.
Stephens.


                                                /s/ Martha Murray
                                                Notary Public
                                                State of Texas

My Commission Expires:  November 19, 2000